- Joined
- Apr 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,048
Hi all, I've seen a multitude of posts about the various stages of sheath making from getting started to making that glassy edge that we all strive for. While I'm by no means an expert, I do like to study process and continuously refine what I'm doing to make each product better than the last. In finding this subforum, I've spent time looking at some of the tutorials and found them very informative with great information and pictures to follow along. Since some of the photos become unavailable over time, I thought I would put together a simple, step-by-step walkthrough of one way a sheath can be made by hand from start to finish using the most basic leather tools without relying on any photos. The idea is that someone could print this post and lay it down on their workspace and follow along as the project takes shape. I'll caveat that this process is overkill in several ways and I've even gone away from some of these steps as I've added specialty tools and started using different products. However, if you follow the process step by step you will learn a great deal about the properties of leather and the various products in leather making. This is not the "right way" to make a sheath, just "a" way and whether a beginner or a pro there may be a step or two here where you can pick up a tip to make your finished product just a little bit better. Thanks for everyone who contributes here and I love seeing all the finished products and sharing of knowledge.
Cheers,
Justen
Leather Sheath for a knife
1. Trace the sheath pattern on the leather
2. Mark the center line on the back of the leather
3. Rough cut out your pieces (sheath and welt)
4. Wet the leather and allow water to soak in a few minutes (H2O can be sprayed on, submerged briefly)
5. Set wing dividers to create a border around the sheath for the stamp guideline
6. Stamp around the border and use a beveller to pronounce the stamp border if desired
7. Use stitching guide to mark the stitching line and stamp out stitching holes
8. Bevel the edges around the sheath
9. Using the welt template, mark the backside of the sheath
10. Skive the back of the belt loop for easier stacking (if applicable)
11. Dye the edges of the leather
12. Dye the top inside of the sheath and outside of the sheath
13. Buff the dye once it has dried
14. Apply coat of neatsfoot oil (or similar product) to sheath
15. Wet edges and burnish with burnishing tool (edge and top corners)
16. Apply Feibings tan-kote (or similar product) to inside of sheath (do not apply where gluing)
17. Cut out welt, be sure to cut the excess to the outside edge of the sheath and top of welt to cut off after the sheath has been stitched
18. Mark the rough cut welt using the template on the back side of the welt and the sheath on the top side of the welt to line up the sheath prior to gluing and trimming
19. Apply Sno Seal ( or similar leather preservative) to outside of the sheath (warm the leather first) apply 2x buff and let dry
20. Fit knife to sheath (wrap in saran wrap) lay knife on inside of the sheath, place and mark inside of sheath where the blade and handle meet along the center line
21. Mark lines (2mm) on either side of the center line that goes from the tip of the sheath to the mark where the blade meets the handle. These lines will be gouged out later to assist in folding the sheath
22. Repeat making two more lines above where the blade meets the handle
23. Rough up the welt for gluing and apply contact adhesive to both the welt and the sheath
24. Gouge two lines on top side of sheath where the fold of belt loop will be (if applicable)
25. Wet sheath and belt loop on all areas to fold, insert the knife and fold (with knife inserted)
26. Mark tip of belt loop on sheath and mark off area to scratch and glue loop onto the sheath
27. Mark stitching on the belt loop add adhesive and glue loop to sheath
28. Use two thread saddle stitch for loop (burnish back of loop with burnishing glue)
29. Laying sheath flat, hammer hole punch through top of sheath and welt
30. Wet inside of sheath again prior to folding and stitching
31. Apply glue to other side of welt and sheath
32. Fold sheath and match up to pen line that was previously made on the welt
33. Hammer the glue line and clamp (leave to set)
34. Use diamond awl to make the final holes prior to final stitching
35. Saddle stitch the sheath and hammer the stitching with cobbler’s hammer to flatten threads
36. Trim the excess welt
37. Wet form the sheath to the knife
38. Sand the edges with a more rough (220) and then finer grit (400) sandpaper
39. Hand finish with micro mesh
40. Using beveling tool bevel both sides of the sheath edge
41. Apply edge dye
42. Once dry, apply some water to the edge and use the burnishing tool for final burnishing
43. Add burnishing glue (or similar product) to the edge and burnish with a cloth
44. Final polish with a cloth
What is needed
· Veg tan leather (7-8 oz)
· Knife
· Leather dye and edge dye
· Edge beveller
· Edge burnishing tool
· Contact cement
· Burnishing glue
· Hammer/maul
· Sewing needle (2) and thread
· Leather awl
· Hole punch guide (stitch marker)
· Edge guides (stitch groover, wing divider)
· Leather stamps
· Daubers/applicators
· Hairdryer/heat gun
· Pen
· Clamps
· Sandpaper/micro mesh
Burnishing an Edge
1. Wet the edge and face of the work with water and sponge
2. Bevel the edge, this step may take two applications
3. Wet the edge with water and sponge again
4. Using 220 grit sandpaper, sand the edge in only one direction with the grain
5. Using 400 grit wet or dry paper moisten paper and sand in both directions
6. Dye edge and let sit (Edge Kote or similar product)
7. Wet the edge with water and sponge
8. Apply light coat of beeswax
9. Burnish using edge burnishing tool
10. Burnish using canvas cloth or micro mesh
11. Hand burnish with edge burnishing tool if necessary
Cheers,
Justen
Leather Sheath for a knife
1. Trace the sheath pattern on the leather
2. Mark the center line on the back of the leather
3. Rough cut out your pieces (sheath and welt)
4. Wet the leather and allow water to soak in a few minutes (H2O can be sprayed on, submerged briefly)
5. Set wing dividers to create a border around the sheath for the stamp guideline
6. Stamp around the border and use a beveller to pronounce the stamp border if desired
7. Use stitching guide to mark the stitching line and stamp out stitching holes
8. Bevel the edges around the sheath
9. Using the welt template, mark the backside of the sheath
10. Skive the back of the belt loop for easier stacking (if applicable)
11. Dye the edges of the leather
12. Dye the top inside of the sheath and outside of the sheath
13. Buff the dye once it has dried
14. Apply coat of neatsfoot oil (or similar product) to sheath
15. Wet edges and burnish with burnishing tool (edge and top corners)
16. Apply Feibings tan-kote (or similar product) to inside of sheath (do not apply where gluing)
17. Cut out welt, be sure to cut the excess to the outside edge of the sheath and top of welt to cut off after the sheath has been stitched
18. Mark the rough cut welt using the template on the back side of the welt and the sheath on the top side of the welt to line up the sheath prior to gluing and trimming
19. Apply Sno Seal ( or similar leather preservative) to outside of the sheath (warm the leather first) apply 2x buff and let dry
20. Fit knife to sheath (wrap in saran wrap) lay knife on inside of the sheath, place and mark inside of sheath where the blade and handle meet along the center line
21. Mark lines (2mm) on either side of the center line that goes from the tip of the sheath to the mark where the blade meets the handle. These lines will be gouged out later to assist in folding the sheath
22. Repeat making two more lines above where the blade meets the handle
23. Rough up the welt for gluing and apply contact adhesive to both the welt and the sheath
24. Gouge two lines on top side of sheath where the fold of belt loop will be (if applicable)
25. Wet sheath and belt loop on all areas to fold, insert the knife and fold (with knife inserted)
26. Mark tip of belt loop on sheath and mark off area to scratch and glue loop onto the sheath
27. Mark stitching on the belt loop add adhesive and glue loop to sheath
28. Use two thread saddle stitch for loop (burnish back of loop with burnishing glue)
29. Laying sheath flat, hammer hole punch through top of sheath and welt
30. Wet inside of sheath again prior to folding and stitching
31. Apply glue to other side of welt and sheath
32. Fold sheath and match up to pen line that was previously made on the welt
33. Hammer the glue line and clamp (leave to set)
34. Use diamond awl to make the final holes prior to final stitching
35. Saddle stitch the sheath and hammer the stitching with cobbler’s hammer to flatten threads
36. Trim the excess welt
37. Wet form the sheath to the knife
38. Sand the edges with a more rough (220) and then finer grit (400) sandpaper
39. Hand finish with micro mesh
40. Using beveling tool bevel both sides of the sheath edge
41. Apply edge dye
42. Once dry, apply some water to the edge and use the burnishing tool for final burnishing
43. Add burnishing glue (or similar product) to the edge and burnish with a cloth
44. Final polish with a cloth
What is needed
· Veg tan leather (7-8 oz)
· Knife
· Leather dye and edge dye
· Edge beveller
· Edge burnishing tool
· Contact cement
· Burnishing glue
· Hammer/maul
· Sewing needle (2) and thread
· Leather awl
· Hole punch guide (stitch marker)
· Edge guides (stitch groover, wing divider)
· Leather stamps
· Daubers/applicators
· Hairdryer/heat gun
· Pen
· Clamps
· Sandpaper/micro mesh
Burnishing an Edge
1. Wet the edge and face of the work with water and sponge
2. Bevel the edge, this step may take two applications
3. Wet the edge with water and sponge again
4. Using 220 grit sandpaper, sand the edge in only one direction with the grain
5. Using 400 grit wet or dry paper moisten paper and sand in both directions
6. Dye edge and let sit (Edge Kote or similar product)
7. Wet the edge with water and sponge
8. Apply light coat of beeswax
9. Burnish using edge burnishing tool
10. Burnish using canvas cloth or micro mesh
11. Hand burnish with edge burnishing tool if necessary